In the period 1997-1998, Călin Georgescu served as general secretary in the Ministry of the Environment, in the Victor Ciorbea government.
Călin Georgescu, candidate for the presidency of Romania PHOTO: The truth (archive)
Although he presents himself as an anti-system candidate, Călin Georgescu is, according to his CV, clearly a man of the system. After 1989, he was permanently in important positions of the Romanian state. The press of the time wrote about his entry through the back door, as secretary at the Ministry of Water, Forests and Environmental Protection, following an arranged competition.
Thus, by Government Decision 568 of September 20, 1997, it was decided to establish the post of state secretary in the ministries. The Ministry of Water, Forests and Environmental Protection (MAPPM) was the first to rush to appoint a general secretary. And the hiring was done through a so-called contest in which Călin Georgescu, the independent candidate who today aspires to the position of president of Romania, also participated.
Georgescu, a graduate of the Faculty of Land Improvement, had against him Aurelian Virgil Băluță, a graduate of two faculties, ASE and Law, and the exam took place in written form and the oral test.
At that time, the president of the examination committee was PD deputy Ioan Olteanu, the minister of MAPP. Following the tests, Băluță was graded with 7.24 in writing and 8.25 in oral, and Călin Georgescu was graded with 7 in writing and 7.25 in oral.
“According to all the arithmetical calculations, “successful” should have been Băluţă Aurelian Virgil. But the instructions from the PD were to install Georgescu Călin in office, so the honorable minister John Oltean found the solution. When he realized that his subordinates, who had part of the commission, they were not too docile to give higher marks (albeit undeservedly) to his favorite, he quickly found the lifeline. What do you think happened to the gentleman minister? In order to increase Georgescu Călin’s average, an annex was added, without the knowledge of the commission members. Therefore, other elements of appreciation brought to Georgescu Călin’s grades “a small commercial addition” of 9.66. In the end, after gatherings, multiplications and divisions, Călin Georgescu became the winner, the Minister of MAPPM, with portfolio from the PD, breathed a sigh of relief, not imagining that sooner or later the truth would surface“, writes the newspaper România Liberă from February 6, 1998.
PHOTO: The free Romania newspaper covered the subject extensively
One hand washes the other
Among the categories invented by the former minister were the participation in symposia and the one regarding knowledge of a foreign language, and the minister, who personally examined him, although he did not know any foreign language, gave Georgescu the maximum mark, 10.
“I am not aware of those assessment elements that were added to the file later. What I can say is that Băluță was much better and I was convinced that he would be declared successful. Only…”,
stated at the time Viorel Raicu, state secretary at the Ministry of Water, Forests and Environmental Protection.
The press also wrote that former minister Ioan Oltean was later rewarded with a position at the National Center for Sustainable Development, where Georgescu was in charge.
“Many have wondered what will be the fate of Călin Georgescu if the Democratic Party withdraws from the government. But just as many expressed their concern that the man who passed the exam could pass in the future boat that will reach the leadership of the ministry because Mr. Călin, from 1990 until now, has courted all the parties only, he will only become the Minister of the Environment, a much-coveted position. It is certain that his lordship confuses the management of a ministry with a weekend symposium, in the mountains or in the Danube Delta”the journalists from Romania Liberă expressed their opinion.
